A method of detecting tissue changes includes the following steps: a) taking a tissue structure scan for at least one part of a patient's body and all of the tissue structure scan data is stored; b) after a predetermined period of time, taking another tissue structure scan for at least that part of the patient's body at least once, and again storing the data; c) computer-assisted positional assignment and comparison of two or more sequential tissue structure scans; and d) computer-assisted detection and output of changes in the tissue of the patient, resulting from the different data for each body portion assigned.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of detecting tissue changes comprising the following steps: a) taking a volumetric tissue structure scan for at least one part of a patient's body and storing the volumetric tissue structure scan data; b) after a predetermined period of time, taking another volumetric tissue structure scan for the part or all of the patient's body at least once, and again storing the data; c) positionally assigning the data of two or more sequential tissue structure scans with the assistance of a computer, and comparing the volumetric tissue structure scan data; d) computer-assisted detection and output of volumetric changes in the tissue of the patient, resulting from the different data for each body portion assigned.
2. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the tissue structure scan is a tomography, in particular a computer tomography or a nuclear spin tomography.
3. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the tissue structure scan is a scan from the field of nuclear medicine, a bone scintigraphy, a mammography, an ultrasound scan, a PET or a SPECT scan.
4. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the data obtained from the scans includes data from different types of scan.
5. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the comparison is made by subtracting the data from various scans.
6. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein, after comparison, the conspicuous tissue changes are output clearly visible and distinguishable on a display.
7. The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the conspicuous tissue changes are emphasized with color.
8. The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the unchanged body portions are outputted transparently or semi-transparently so that the tissue changes and their positions are clearly discernible.
9. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the output occurs as a three-dimensional animation of the body or the body part.
10. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the positional data of the tissue changes are used for localization in subsequent treatments.
11. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the positional assignment of the data from various tissue structure scans occurs by modeling the volume of the scanned body portion as a piece of elastic material, virtually external deforming forces being applied to the shape of the elastic piece of material until it matches the scanned body portions to be assigned.
12. The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the data sets obtained from the scans are firstly oriented globally.
13. The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the virtually external deforming forces are applied until equilibrium exists between the external forces and the internal reaction forces.
14. The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the deformation progresses in a coarse-to-fine strategy until the external forces assume a minimum.
15. A method of detecting tissue changes, comprising the steps of: obtaining the data of two or more volumetric tissue structure scans taken at different times; positionally assigning the data of said two or more volumetric tissue structure scans with the assistance of a computer, and comparing the volumetric tissue structure scan data; computer-assisted detection and output of volumetric changes in the tissue of the patient, resulting from the different data.
16. The method as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the positional assignment of the data from various tissue structure scans occurs by modeling the volume of the scanned body portion as a piece of elastic material, virtually external deforming forces being applied to the shape of the elastic piece of material until it matches the scanned body portions to be assigned.
17. The method as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the virtually external deforming forces are applied until equilibrium exists between the external forces and the internal reaction forces.
18. The method as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the deformation progresses in a coarse-to-fine strategy until the external forces assume a minimum.
19. The method as set forth in claim 16 , further comprising globally orienting the data sets obtained from the scans.
20. The method as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the comparison is made by subtracting the data from at least one of the scans.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 27, 2000
November 19, 2002
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